


hard times (gonna take you down and laugh when you cry)

by forkflower



Series: stranger things [1]
Category: Stranger Things - Fandom
Genre: Aftermath, Attempted Sexual Assault, Billy is a good brother, El gets the talk, El still has powers, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Lumax, M/M, Mike is awkward, Will comes out, after season 3 AU, billy improvement, billy is their second mom, dustin is a walking meme, dustin is supportive, el is clueless, everyones alive, jonathan is done with these testosterone driven monkeys, jonathan looks at nancy like the stars, lord have mercy on them, lord is the teenagers i stg, lucas is clueless, lumax cuddling, max gets ptsd, mentions of season 3, mentions rape/noncon, murray is an all-knowing force, protective mike, responsible nancy, robin is still a chaotic les, some boys try to assault max and el, steve and billy have cringey sexual tension, steve is still a mom, theyre sophomores, trigger warning, two years in the future, will and dusty have a heart to heart, will is a hopeless romantic, will is soft, will still ain’t ready to grow up
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-09
Updated: 2019-08-03
Packaged: 2020-06-25 13:55:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 7
Words: 8,438
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19747120
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/forkflower/pseuds/forkflower
Summary: the boys are reluctant to take el to her first real party, and when their fears come true- well let’s just say may lord have mercy on that damn kidssoul





	1. discussion

**Author's Note:**

> background info:  
> between this fic and season three, billy tries to better himself as a person bc ptsd is a bitch. he doesn’t necessarily get close with the party but they know he would crack some skulls for them
> 
> they can drive but for the sake of the fic nancy offered to drive them bless her
> 
> trigger warning- includes attempted and very close sexual assault to two characters:/
> 
> read the tags and have fun man;)

“Hey...Lucas.”

“Yeah dude?” Lucas turned his attention away from Max sleeping on his shoulder, careful to not move too much.

Mike leaned an inch closer to his turned head, whispering a tad quieter, “Do you think it was a bad idea to bring her?”

The other boy raised an eyebrow. He kicked his feet up on the headrest of the seat in front of him with a thud, earning a ‘Hey! Watch it kid!’ and readjusted the leg wrapped around him. He mouthed, ‘Max?’ while gesturing toward the sleeping girl with his free hand.

Mike shook his head after a pause. “Well... no, of course Max is going. I mean...” He nodded his head up towards the direction of El in the passengers seat. She held her hand up to shield her eyes from the lowering sun, squinting while chatting with Nancy.

Rubbing his girlfriends back with his thumb, Lucas shifted in his seat. “El? Why wouldn’t she come?”

“I mean- I don’t know if i’m just being over protective or not. It’s just that she’s never really been to a party befor-“

“But what about the Snow Ball? She went to that with us.”

“That was different. And it was like two years ago. I mean a real party. With real music and no adults. Not some middle school winter dance.”

“I don’t get what you’re worried about.”

“If i may interject,” Dustin peeked his head out from behind them, kneeling in from the trunk, “Mike, you already know that she’s more than capable of handling herself.”

He rested his elbows in between the other boys headrests, lowering his head so that El wouldn’t hear their conversation.

After being startled by Dustin’s sudden interruption, Mike turned subtly in his seat to face dustin. “I know, I know. But she’s never been in this kind of environment before. There’s guys that are way older than us, and people are drinking, and it’s dark, and loud, a-“

“Wait, wait, wait, wait. What’re you talking about? I don’t get it.” Lucas muttered.

Mike rolled his eyes. “I mean, if she wanders off or something.”

“I’m still unclear. You’re worried that she’ll get lost?” Lucas pulled his cheek up and showed his confusion masked by sarcasm.

Dustin ruffled Lucas’s hair, who pulled away with a harsh neck whip. “How can you be so dense, dude?” “What? Tell me!”

“Sorry, but i couldn’t help but overhear..” Will popped his head in next to Dustin’s. “Mike is worried about some guy trying to pull something with El.”

“Precisely, youngin’. Thank you for clearing this up for our dear old friend here, who happens to be a bit slow at times.” 

“Hey!”

“Dustin, i’m not joking around. What if something bad happens?” Mike shushed everyone by holding his pointer finger up to his lips, sparing a hint that they’re getting a little louder than preferably. 

Dustin whispered exaggeratedly, swinging his hands up in defense. “Michael, she’s got goddamn super powers.”

Will leaned in, muttering. “And she’s gonna be with us the entire time.

“I know! I’m just worried, is all.”

“Nothing bad is gonna happen. And it’s Steve’s party! He can beat the shit out of anyone.”

“That’s not the point. El doesn’t know about that stuff-“

“Unless Hopper told her.”

“Highly doubt it.”

“-what if she doesn’t do anything?”

“What do you mean? She can literally kill anyone by blinking at them.”

“The point i’m trying to make is that what if she just- i don’t know- freezes up? Maybe she’d be too confused to fight back. Heck, she wouldn’t even know that something wrong would be happening.”

“Mike, dude, you’re overthinking. El will be with us the entire time. She won’t leave your side, anyways! We have reliable people there. Steve, Nancy, Jonathan, Billy, Robin.”

“Yeah i guess, but you should know what i’m talking about more than anyone!”

“...What’re you talking about?”

“The same goes for Max! Don’t you think i’m not just as worried for her.”

Lucas looked down at her, his cheek resting on her head. He held her a little tighter, as she groaned. His breath hitched. “Okay yeah, I get what you mean.”

Dustin and Will looked at each other.

Will tried to reassure them that everything would be fine. “Guys, they’ll be okay. We won’t let anything happen to them.”

Dustin sat back down in the trunk. “Yeah guys. And they’re badass, they’re gonna be fine, and we’re gonna have fun.”

Nancy called from the drivers seat, making a harsh right turn and parking on a curb behind a line of atleast ten cars. “We’re here, guys!”


	2. party

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> it’s the party, then the girls go missing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry this is rushed and weirdly paced i just wanted to get to the juicy stuff>:o)

Everyone filed out of the car as soon as the doors were unlocked. Max stumbled down with a yawn, followed by Lucas. Mike hurriedly slid out of his seat to open the door for El and held her hand as she jumped down. Nancy walked around to pop the trunk open for Dustin and Will.

A car halted behind theirs, and Jonathan got out. “Hey, Nance.” She greeted him with a peck on the lips. “Hey babe! Wow, you actually managed to put your book down for a few hours and come to an actual social event.”

He chuckled and pulled his arm around her shoulders as they started for the entrance to the house. Nancy looked back at the kids, neck craning to shout, “And Mike! Have everyone back in the car by 1. Have fun and don’t get too hammered!” She tossed a set of keys toward them, and Dustin caught them, handing them to Mike.

“You guys ready to go in?” Dustin asked, already shuffling towards the door. Mike grabbed El’s hand, and Lucas hugged Max from the back. 

Max yawned again, “Billy’s car is here and I don’t think he’s gonna be happy when he sees us here.”

Will began following Dustin’s trail excitedly. “We’ll be fine, he’s cool now!”

“Wait, Billy’s here? I thought he hated Steve.” Mike asked Max. Lucas responded, “Oh yeah, you guys don’t know. After Billy stopped being an assh-“ He glanced at Max, “-a jerk to me. When he stopped being a jerk to me, he would pick us up from Scoops before closing like every week, to drop me off at home too. And he just started saying bye to Steve and even hugged him at one point.”

“It was so weird. Me and Lucas almost peed ourselves on the spot.” Max giggled as they all walked through a screened in porch, the door locked open.

Dustin opened the door, music flooding through. The song ‘Hazy Shade of Winter’ blasted through large speakers in the living room, as a sea of teenagers bounce up and down to the beat, only a few lamps lighting up the room. Red solo cups littered every foot of the dark interior, and Mike only assumed that they were full of a completely legal substance.

El awed, never having seen that many people in such a small space. She clung to Mikes arm, unsure of what they were going to do there. “Mike. where’s Steve?” 

“Not sure. Probably talking to people. Why, El?” He and Lucas pushed past the crowd, making their way to a small, empty hallway.  
Will and Dustin leaned on either sides of a bathroom door about to discuss a plan for meeting up later, who’s staying with who, and the basics to ensure that everyone’s safe and comfortable(Mikes idea, obviously).

“She feels safer when she knows he’s around.”  
Max answered for her as El became distracted by watching a couple make out in the corner across from them.

“He’s around. We’re gonna see him in a minute.”

The bathroom door opened, and Billy stepped out. He bumped into Lucas, then stepped back with panic on his face. Will prepared for a passive aggressive interaction, considering his history with Lucas. “Hey man! I didn’t know you guys were gonna be here.” Billy smiled. “Ah, were just popping by, we’re going home with Nancy in a few.” 

Mike raised an eyebrow when they fist bumped and Max rolled her eyes. She pushed Billy away, as he chuckled and ruffled her hair. “Be safe, squirt. Holler if you need anything, i’m gonna kick it in the kitchen the whole time.”

“Yeah, yeah, i’ll see you at home tonight, bye turdbrain.”

Dustin leaned his head past the walkway to check if he was gone. “Dude... what the hell-“

“We’re cool now.” Lucas smirked.

Max kissed the outer corner of his mouth. “God, it’s disgusting.”

Will scratched his chin, looking around at Steve’s house. “So guys, let’s set ground rules. for the most part we should stay together but if we were to separate then you should have one person who you must be with at all times. I’ll stay with Dustin and the couples can she together. We meet up exactly at midnight, front porch.”

Dustin nodded, picking up a cup from the ground and taking a sip from it. He made a sour face and dropped it. “Ugh! How did steve get Fireball!”

Lucas laughed and gestured for everyone to follow him to the main room. They saw a few familiar faces, only a few seniors whom they didn’t talk to at all. Steve had an open invite, but only people who knew him in his high school years were allowed in. He still worked at Scoops Ahoy, and hadn’t gotten into tech yet. But an end-of-the school year party would be fun, even if it was Dustin’s idea.

“Hey! Stevey!” Dustin ran to his best friend, high fiving him. “Hey Dust, you guys made it!” Steve shouted joyfully.

They started their usual banter, when Robin snuck up behind Will to scare him. He jumped and he put him in a light choke-hold, rubbing her fist into his hair and laughing. “Hey kids. Shouldn’t you all be in bed right now?” She gave Mike a toothy grin. 

Mike snickered, gripping El’s hand tightly. “Rob, we’re all like sixteen.”  
“Michael, age is simply an illusion to make existence make sense.” She grabbed Steve by the collar and dragged him away, ending his conversation with Dustin about work and girls. “Later, Kiddos!”

The night went on for at least five more hours, full of dancing, eating, socializing. All the usual party stuff, but none of them drank anything except for Coca Cola that Steve bought especially for them.

It was 11:52, Mike checked on his watch. Max and El wanted to go to the bathroom together nine minutes ago. He worried for a moment, then shook his head. Trying to convince himself that maybe there was just a long line, he turned to the boys, who were in a heated discussion about what Ghostbusters 2 should be about. Dustin kneeled up on the couch, yelling at Lucas.

“Guys. Stop arguing, the girls have been gone for ten minutes.”

“So? They went to the bathroom.”

“But there’s three bathrooms. I cant imagine that there’s a huge line at either of them, or that peeing would take that long.”

“Mike i think you have a severe case of anxiety.”

“I’m serious! What if something bad happened?!”

Will stood up, obviously wanting an excuse to end the argument. “Mike, if you want to look for them, we should look for them.”

“Thank you, Will. Let’s go see if they’re in any of the three bathrooms.” 

First bathroom, no one. Mike peeked into the second downstairs one. ‘Mike, get out!’ “For fucks sake, Nancy! Lock the door if you’re gonna blow your boyfriend!”

Finally, no one was in the third bathroom. In fact, very few people were upstairs. Mike was sweating bullets. Now all four of the guys ran around the house like headless chickens.

—————

“What’re two pretty ladies like you doing here all alone up here?”

“Hey man, leave us alone.”

“Max, what do they want?”

“Don’t be like that, baby. We’re just playing around.”

“Leave us alone, we just needed to go to the restroom- Hey!”

“Dave, Connor, grab them. Separate them, too.”

“Shit!”

——————

The boys met up downstairs again, panting. Mike checked the time again; 12:17. People were starting to leave, but the house was still almost completely full.

Dustin threw his baseball cap on the ground.  
“Fuck it! I need to tell Steve.”

“Tell me what?” Steve and Robin entered the hallway. “Steve! We can’t find the girls. they’ve been missing for almost thirty minutes.”

Robin threw her cup onto a shelf nearby. “What? Dustin, did they say where they went?”

“Bathroom- but we checked all of them. They’re not there.”

Steve scanned the room, as if he were looking for people. But not Max and El. “Shit. Dustin, get the bat. You know where it is.”

Dustin ran, and that set off a chain reaction. Will and Mike went to the second bathroom and Lucas b-lined for the kitchen.


	3. drive

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the gang is on their way to where they think the girls are.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TEA IS BREWING

“Robin, go start the car. Just in case.”

“Steve, what is going on?”

Steve took off his jacket, and tied it around his waist. Robin followed him as he streaked up the stairs, and slammed each bedroom door open. The last room was empty. He cursed to himself and grabbed Robins forearm to drag her downstairs. “Do you have your stungun on you?”

“Always, duh. But where would we go-“

“I’ll explain on the way. Please, Robin, go start the goddamn car!”

“Alright, dingus. Just calm down a bit. I’ll be in the car.”

Dustin pushed through the living room, as teenagers muttered to themselves in curiosity as to why he was running with a nailed, blood stained bat.

He tossed it in the air, “Here, Steve!” which was caught perfectly with a spin. 

Deep yelling shook the house. The sea of people stopped, silence spreading like a wave. “Where the hell is she?! Move!”

The bodies separated, forming a walkway for whoever was speaking. Billy and Lucas stood, and the older mans face burned like maroon.

His eyes landed on Steve, and he marched up to him, stopping dead in front of the other. “Harrington, where is my sister?”

“It’s Chester. Him and his douche friends left when they went missing a while ago. We’re leaving now.”

“They?”

“What? El is missing too.”

Billy’s eyes widened more. He took a short inhale, and dropped his cigarette on the ground. As he crushed it with his shoe, Nancy and Jonathan joined too. They sped up to Steve and Billy. “Is it the frat house?” Nancy asked, shaking Steve’s shoulder.

“We’re leaving now. Get the kids in the car, and don’t say anything to anyone.” Billy snapped, already on his way outside.

——————

Robin drove one car, Steve in the passengers seat. Billy and Dustin sat in the middle row, behind them.

Jonathan drove Nancy’s car, and in the back sat Will and Mike. Nancy was in the front. Lucas sat on the roof of the car, screaming and banging on the glass.

“Take this left, Robin!”

“No shithead, it’s the next turn!”

“At this point if you two don’t stop arguing, i’m driving off the damn quarry!”

Dustin sat in the back, turning knobs on his walkie talkie. Static sounds cut off, as Lucas answered on the other receiver. He yelled loud, to make up for the wind shoving through him, “Hey Dustin, *cough* Shit! A fly just flew into my mouth! Over.” 

Dustin held the voice button down. “Lucas! Make sure you’re still behind us, over.”

Lucas muttered, then put the walkie on his belt. He sprawled our on the roof, and knocked on the drivers side window. Jonathan opened it, while still focusing on the road. 

Mike yelled for Lucas to come in, so he jumped in feet first by holding onto the rail on the roof, swinging in like Indiana Jones.

Jonathan groaned, “Jesus, Lucas, careful!” when he got kneed in the jaw.

Lucas wiggled in between the two boys in the back, as the walkie talkie buzzed. Dustin echoed on the other end. “Guys, keep up. Steve says we’re halfway there. Over.”

Mike grabbed the walkie. “Dustin, where are we even going?”

In the other car, Steve reached back and swatted Dustin’s hand to give him the walkie. Dustin pulled it away, complaining, “Steve, stop!”

They fought for it, playing tug-a-war and yelling, until Billy grabbed it violently and tossed it towards the front seat. Robin caught it perfectly without looking, with a raised hand. “Thanks. Here, Steve.”

Steve struggled back into the passengers seat and grabbed the walkie. “Kids, listen up. We’re going to a frat house.”

Mike responded. “Steve, I don’t really think it’s the time to go to another party.”

“We’re not going to a damn frat party, Wheeler. These college sophomores I was in senior year with showed up to the house earlier, but I ignored them as long as they didn’t try any shit.”

“So at the house... you were looking to see if they were gone?” Will questioned, worry in his voice.

“Yeah, they have a track record for this type of shit.”

Billy reached over Steve’s seat and snatched the walkie. “Don’t worry about it, guys. Just keep driving. Stay on our tail.”

He pushed down the antennae, static reaching the other end. Nancy shoveled through her purse, pulling out her cell phone. She dialed a number and tried again when there was no response. She tried one more time, then threw it down in frustration.

“Shit! He won’t pick up.”

“Who, babe?”

“Hold on, I think i know someone who knows where he would be.”

“Who?”

“...Hey, Murray. Do you know where Hopper is right now? We have an emergency.”


	4. frat house

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> really long chapter!! should i continue this or leave it up to the readers imagination?

“He’s having dinner at the diner on main. Missus Byers, may I ask why you need his current location?”

“Long story short, some guys kind of kidnapped those two girls you met a while ag-“

“Mayfield and Hop Jr.?”

“....uh... yeah.”

“I’ll notify him to meet you all. Where are you going, exactly? I heard that Harrington had a party tonight.”

“We’re going to the big frat house just outside range. You know, the one on Clurry. Why, Murray?”

“Because i’m bored and out of vodka. On my way. ————beep———-“

Nancy put down the phone. “Mike, tell the others that Murray and Hop are on their way. And to speed up!”

“Murray? Are you kidding me!” Mike held up the walkie and pressed the dispatch button. “Dustin, do you copy? Tell Robin to hurry the hell up.”

There was shuffling on the other end. A female voice cut in. “I don’t see you driving, dipshit! We’re already going 50!”

“Hop and Murray Bauman are coming, too.”

Steve grabbed the box from Robin. “Oh, you’ve gotta be shitting me. Hoppers gonna kill me! His daughter on my watch... Guys, we’re close. Next turn, Rob.”

Billy tapped a beat with a closed fist on the door to his right. He stopped to crack his knuckles, and it sent a chill down Dustin’s spine. God, he was terrifying to be around. 

“Hey, Billy.... We’re gonna get them. She’s gonna be fine.” Steve assured him from the front seat.

Billy glanced up at the rear view mirror to look at him, and gave a humorless chuckle, “You’re a real sap, you know that, Harrington?”

Robin swerved a harsh left into the driveway of a large house. “We’re here, assholes! Get out, get out!”

———

As soon as the last person stepped down from the cars a police wagon swerved in, the tires screeching against the pavement.

Hopper and Murray are in it.

They practically jumped through their windows, and ran past the group of teenagers to get to the front door. “Wait here, everyone. Steve, Hargrove, Jonathan, Murray, come with me. Nancy and Robin, watch the kids.”

Nancy sighed, ‘Bullshit.’ She sunk down on the hood of her car, and Robin lit a cig. Mike impatiently waited by the door, as Lucas held his ear to it. Will and Dustin paced in the driveway.

———

Hopper held his shotgun up, Jonathan wielded a rifle from Nancy’s trunk, Steve practice swung his bat a few times, Billy wore two sets of brass knuckles, and Murray held the flashlight up, there purely for moral support.

Hopper was about to kick down the door, until Murray stopped him, deaming they should try the actual door knob before they cause attention to themselves. The front door was unlocked, surprisingly. What kind of idiot would pull this shit and not lock their door?

They stood glaring into the house through the doorway, waiting for a cue to start running.

“And.... go!” Hopper huffed, storming ahead of everyone.

The older boys flooded the house, silent and quick, just like bullets.

They split up through the house, stumbling through the dark.

Billy and Steve trailed behind the others, and both went up the stairs. “You know Harrington, when I agreed to go to your party I didn’t sign up for this.” Billy steamed, kicking in a door.

Steve sighed when he saw that every room was empty, as all the other doors were open. “Well, me neither. The seniors are probably rippin’ my house to damn shre-“

Faint creaks and laughs echoed beneath them, along with a small female voice. Steve and Billy shared urgent stares and rushed downstairs, joining the other three. Murray pointed the flashlight to Hop.

“Basement! Now, children!” Murray whisper shouted. They quickened their pace even more, through a lit doorway and down a rickety set of stairs.

Hopper and Jonathan held their guns up. “Freeze, dickheads!” Hopper yelled.

About five men, ages 19-22, seized their laughter, holding their hands up. They sat in foldable chairs around a coffee table covered in liquor bottles, cigarettes, ash trays, pot, and white powder. A single lightbulb swayed from the ceiling, shadows on the boys faces moving left and right. One of them was sweating profusely, none of them moving or making a sound.

Jonathan stepped forward suddenly, and pointed his rifle to one of their heads.

“Hey, cut that shit out, man!”

“What the hell?!”

“Whoah, whoah, whoah, pal, easy!”

Billy grabbed Hoppers gun, much to the mans displeasure (he almost punched Billy) and shot the ground numerous times until everyone shut up.

He was bright red, and veins popped out along his neck and the side of his head. “Where the fuck is my sister?!”

“B-Billy?”

That’s when they spotted her, shaking in a dark corner. “Max!” He croaked.

Max was blindfolded, with her hands tied behind her back around one of the beams supporting the floor above them. She was barefoot, and wore the tank top she had on previously at the party. She was in her underwear. They took off her skirt. Her damn skirt.

Billy lost it. A murderous look came through his eyes, and he grabbed Steve’s bat. 

“Billy, no! Shit!” Murray and Jonathan held him back from bashing one of the men’s head in, each grabbing his torso as he raised the bat in the air. Steve ran under it, blocking the man from Billy. “Dude! Stop! He needs to be alive now, to pay for it later. You don’t need murder on your record, man.”

Billy’s breath quickened, and he threw the bat down. He ran to Max, hugging her as he sunk to the ground, “Hey sis, you’re okay now. You’re okay.” He tore off her blindfold.

She cried into his grip. “Billy, they tried to- they tried to...” He stroked her hair, and felt a bruise growing on her cheek, trying to ignore it. “Did they hurt you, Max?”

Steve stood above them, as Hopper was still holding the circle at gunpoint. 

“Th-They put me and El in their car.. and blindfolded us. Billy, they took... they took our clothes off.. and tried to touch me. I punched him and he hit me back. They stuck something in my neck. A-and I woke up here.”

“Shhhhhhh.... I know, Max. It’s okay.” 

Steve sat to hug her too. He and Billy held her in an embrace and she stopped crying. 

Jonathan loaded his rifle with an intimidating click. “Where’s El?” The guy with the barrel to his head, said “Who?” Jonathan smacked his head. “The other one! Where is she?!”

One of them spoke up. “The storage closet. Upstairs next to the bookshelf.”

Jonathan dropped the rifle and ran upstairs, followed by Murray.

They slid through the kitchen, and Murray grabbed a knife from the wooden block next to the oven.

Jonathan stepped back and rammed his shoulder into the door. He did it again, three more times, and it wouldn’t budge. “Move, Byers.” Murray swung a hammer at the knob, and it along with the lock broke off. Jonathan sung the door open. Murray shown the flashlight into the room.

Eleven laid on the floor unconscious, blindfolded and binded to a pipe near the bottom of the wall. She was thankfully, fully clothed.

Murray stepped forward and cut the rope restraining her hands with the knife. Jonathan cradled her and picked her up. They were saving her for later.

———

“What’s taking them so long?”

“Mike, it’s been two minutes.”

Lucas sat on the porch, head in his hands as Will tried to comfort him. Mike was still waiting right in front of the door, while Dustin leaned on the hood of Nancy’s car with her and Robin.

Lucas called from behind his palms. “I can’t take it any longer, we need to go ins-“

Mike jumped out of the way as the door slammed open. Hopper held two guys by their collars, shoving them into grass in front of the house. They fell with a hard thud, as Murray held Hoppers handgun behind two more of them, ushering them through the yard. Billy and Jonathan held the girls respectively. 

Steve exited last, dragging the last man on the floor by his collar, other hand holding his bat over his shoulders.


	5. talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> cue the protective boyfriends !!!
> 
> dusty and will have a talk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry this took so long:( i was at jesus camp with no phone and my keyboard broke so it’s hard to type anything on the left side. but here children, i feed you once again

When Hopper kicked the door open, Mike, Lucas, and Will had to move out of the way quick enough to not get stomped on.

Nancy stood up, and Robin turned her head, exhaling a puff of smoke. Dustin leaned up higher from the hood onto his forearms, attention drawn to the girls.

Mikes gazed followed the one limp in Jonathan’s arms.

The fraternity boys, all distinctly sporting various types of sweatpants, basketball shorts, and form-fitting jeans, were each thrown into a pile on the lawn, as El was switched to Mikes arms, and Max was lowered into the open trunk of Steve’s station wagon.

Max’s cheeks and eyes were red and puffy when Lucas ran up to her, holding her in a tight embrace. He looked her up and down, noticing a blue and black welt near her dimple, and her. 

His breath hitched, “Shit, Max....” as he brought a careful palm up to her cheek. A small puncture mark was on her upper neck.

“I’m alright, Stalker.” She smiled into a kiss.

He pulled away first. “Max, I’m so sorry. W-We should have stayed with you.... or looked for you- for you sooner. I love you so much, I’m just... I’m so sorry.”

Max cracked a loving smile, and chuckled a little. She pressed their foreheads together, and they both closed their eyes.

They sat there in that position, breathing out of synch and basking in one another’s company as they choked out sobs.

Mike cradled El in his tight grip, yet there was only so much his thin arms could carry, so he sat in front of Steve’s car door, one knee up to support her weight, forearm holding her neck.

He stroked her hair, and scanned her body up and down. There were two small holes below her chin and one on the back of her neck.

Her belt was missing from her cargo pants, and her t-shirt was untucked from them once in the back. 

El’s wrists had handprints on them, wrapped around her tightly. 

Mike gently stroked the marks with two fingers, eyes watering. He looked up and saw Hopper, Billy, and Steve kicking and stomping the men around hard, as Murray and Nancy tried to pull all of them away while Jonathan called for more officers and watched, unfazed. Like this type of thing was normal. For them, at least.

Robin and Dustin sat next to each other, both sparing occasional glances at Max and Eleven amidst their chatter.

Dustin and Mike made eye contact, before he said something brief to Robin, who nodded her head slightly and returned to her cigarette, and got up to walk up to Mike.

He stopped a meter in front of them, wanting to give them some needed personal space.

“Hey, man. Is she good?” Dustin crossed his arms and his feet pointed towards each other. Mike gave him a meaningless smile.

“Guess so. Think they drugged her, look.”

Dustin inched closer and hovered over El. He saw the three pricks when mike carefully turned her upper body, so he could see them better.

“Shit, man. Probably to knock her out, usually she would’ve snapped their necks.”

Mike shrugged.

“It’s ok, Hoppers gonna deal with it. You think Max got it, too?”

Mike looked up, and switched his gaze to Lucas and Max. They looked peaceful, holding each other with their heads pressed together.

“Dunno. When they’re done with- whatever that is- go ask ‘em.” Dustin nodded and walked away, as Mike turned his attention back to El.

———

The street light illuminated the scene, shadows casting through bodies and relieved faces. Will sat by himself on a curb halfway down the road. His face was blackened, as his head was down towards the road beneath him.

When he felt footsteps coming towards him, he didn’t look up.

“Heyo, William.”

Will sighed. “Hey, Dude.” His voice was too small.

Dustin sat down a good three feet from Will, legs pulled to his chest as well. He looked forward, staring at the lowering moon. They sat in silence for a while, which kind of added to Wills anxiety. But he still couldn’t look up. So his head rested on his knees.

Dustin broke the silence first. “You ok, man?”

Will still didn’t look up. He just nodded his head a little too eagerly.

“...Will. Don’t bullshit yourself.”

Will deeply exhaled. He whispered, “I’m fine, you’re the one full of bullshit.”

Okay, maybe he shouldn’t had said that, because then Dustin was assured that something was definitely wrong.

He turned his head to glare at Will, who mentally prepared for a snarky comeback. 

Dustin scooted over to put an arm around his slumped shoulders.

That made Will flinch. “Dude, it’s ok if you don’t wanna tell me. But i know that this doesn’t have anything to do with the girls.”

Will looked up, face red and swollen and shiny from tears. He sighed again. “Yeah... I guess you’re right.”

Dustin chuckled lightly. “Always am, these days.”

Will smiled humorlessly. “I know, it sounds selfish. And I know i sound like an asshole. But just... seeing them with the girls... it jus-“

“Makes you feel lonely?”

“...Kinda. And it’s just t-that I feel like life should be...simpler. We’re so young. We should be in Mikes basement, playing DnD. Not dealing with kidnappers, and superpowers, and murder, government shit, demons,” Will pushed out a shaky breath, “I missed out on years of my childhood because of some assholes in lab coats. And as soon as things become normal, everyone grows up without me. They found love and shit, while i just want time to... stop. Or, rewind, maybe. Dunno.”

Dustin let Will rest his head in his shoulder, as he stroked his back. “Well, sorry that you feel so shitty. And it’s not selfish at all, don’t ever apologize for feeling lonely or left behind. It sucks, I know.”

Will smirked weakly. “I never meant to shut you out, when you got back, you know. I’m sor-“

“I know, man. I know.” 

“You know, back then, I think while you were with the Scoops Troop,” Both of them smiled, “i just wanted to play DnD, but they were too busy moping about the girls dumping them. I snapped, and me and Mike got into it. He... you know what he said? I was mad that all he did was talk with El, talk about El, hang out with El, you know. Said he ruined the party. And he said... that it wasn’t his fault that I didn’t like girls.”

Dustin’s face changed from curious to disgusted. “Wait, seriously? He had the audacity to say that to you, just because you weren’t ready to grow up and get a girlfriend yet?”

Will nodded his head slowly. “Yeah, but I only now realized that I took it out of context at the time.”

Dustin’s breathing stopped for a split second. 

“I’ve really been thinking about that for the past few months. That I didn’t like girls. It didn’t seem that... far fetched.”

Dustin stayed a bit silent.

“But now i’m a little more grown. Still not enough to not want to deal with how complicated our lives are, yeah, but I’m not clueless.”

Dustin shifted, cuing Will to raise his head from his shoulder. They looked each other in the eyes, as Dustin held the other teen by the shoulders.

“Will, what are you saying?”

Will shrunk, looking at the concrete again. “I-I... I’m, uh...” He looked back up at Dustin. “Dustin, I’m gay.”


	6. aftermath pt 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> jancy is starting to investigate what happened, and el is getting more curious about it, too

“For the last time, no. I don’t think El knows what happened.”

“But Nance, she was there. She obviously-“

“Max said that they stuck a needle in El’s neck on sight, in the house even before they put them in the trunk. And you know how we found her still passed out?”

Jonathan rubbed at the bridge of his nose, looking down at notes written below him in a journal as he dropped his pen. “Yeah, but it doesn’t make sense. Max got a dose too, she told Billy in the house, I was there.”

Nancy brushed a hand through her hair. “But she said that they drugged her after they brought her to the second location.”

“Right, babe, but how would that line up, if she woke up before we got there? She passed out after El and woke up way before her, too.”

“But that’s not the point, the point is that our best bet for finding out the whole story is Max.”

“Why can’t we just ask the guys themselves, seeming as though they actually did it themselves?” 

Nancy flipped through to another page. “Because Hop and mamma birds messed them up too bad. Mayor won’t let us see them until we sort the story out, then when we go collect evidence we can rule out a punishment.”

“Becoming police investigative reporters for Hop ended up being more complicated than getting sandwich’s ‘n coffee, huh?” Jonathan rested his cheek on his palm. “No trial?”

“Mayor says that we get a pass on this one, since we got like, thirteen witnesses against five druggies.” Nancy said, as her phone began ringing in her purse. She started shuffling around in it.

“Isn’t that illegal?”

Nancy exhaled, and picked up the phone. “Not in Hawkins. Hello?” 

———

El and Mike cuddled together on the couch in the corner of the Wheelers basement. He was reading the latest edition of his favorite Batman comic series, as she stared off. submerged in thought.

She reached up and stroked the two bandages on the back of her neck. Joyce had put them there so she would stop picking at the small scabs.

Mike stopped reading to look down at her, then he folded up the comic and placed it next to him. He pulled El closer to him, hand resting on her lower back.

She looked up at him with those damn puppy dog eyes that he melted under.

“Mike.” She almost whispered.

“Hmm?”

“What is... rape?”

Mike sat up completely. Shock flooded his face, so fast that he got a little dizzy. He had thought, or knew, rather, that she didn’t know what happened two weeks ago. It was an unwritten rule to not tell her, to everyone. And, she had never asked.

He let go of El to look her in the eyes. “El, who- why, how do you know about that?”

“I heard Robin and Billy say it. Tell me.”

———

Steve, Billy and Robin were given carpool duty after the five men were stuffed into four different police cars. Nancy and Jonathan had to drive back home to inform Joyce about what had happened, and Murray drove with Hopper back to the station.

Steve was driving his car, Billy in the passengers side, and Robin sat in the trunk with Max and Dustin. Will and Mike were sleeping on each other’s shoulders, and Lucas was out cold, tightly wedged between Mikes knees and the back of Steve’s seat. El laid on her side, head resting on Wills lap.

Her eyelashes fluttered as she woke up, dazed and confused. 

She stayed laying there, letting her ears adjust as she took in her surroundings. The voices around her became loud enough for her to listen in. 

“Hop said to keep quiet about all of this until he sorts shit out at the station. Said it could take a few days.” Steve said.

Billy crossed his arms. “Bullshit. This isn’t like the Johnsons accusing Henry’s parents of stealing their newspaper. It’s serious shit, and we need to lock those dickheads up.”

“I know, man. But we need to worry about the kids-”

Billy raised an eyebrow.

“-the girls, right now. We all can deal with the technical stuff later, but our first priority at this moment is getting everyone in their own beds.”

“Yeah.” Billy huffed. “You’re right.”

Silence followed, and Steve sighed and rolled his head back dramatically when Billy started talking again.

“But man, these assholes tried to rape our sisters. Surprised that Hop didn’t murder them on the spot.”

“Well neither of them are my sisters, but i’ve pretty much legally adopted every one of the kids at this point. And be quiet, don’t use that word when they’re right there.”

“What word?” Robin cut in, stepping over El’s torso to sit on a compartment between the two front seats. 

“Rape.” Billy sighed, slouching onto the window.

Steve adjusted the rear view mirror to look at Mike and Will sleeping. “Don’t get sour, just tryna keep their innocence for a few more years.”

“They’re like, sixteen. They can handle the word ‘rape’, Steven.”

“Well, then, i’m trying to keep her innocence. She needs it.”

They were all silent for a few seconds, until Robin yawned. “Doesn’t help your case, the fact that her and Max got into it. Telling you from a girls perspective, being one is shit. It’s thoughtful to try to keep her purity, but it’s not the right move when you want her to be safe.”

She got up and stepped back into the trunk, where Max and Dustin slept apart, leaving a space for her.

Billy yawned as well. “Harrington, I know that you think it’s your job to watch over them. But they’re grown now. We have to step back and watch ‘em grow up.”

“You’ve become a real softie, you know Hargreeves?” Steve gave a sad smile.

“And you’ve always been an excellent baby sitter, pretty boy.”

El turned over neck craning to look up. She slowly fell back asleep, as she gazed at Mike.

———

“Babe, that’s not, uh- really something I think I’m equipped with the knowledge of to tell you.”

She sat up, and raised an eyebrow.

Mike flustered. “There’s a lot to it. I don’t think that I should be the one to tell you, is all that I mean.”

“Why not?”

“There’s... layers to it. Has hopper given you ‘the talk’ yet?”

“Which talk?”

“About sex. Consent.”

“What’s that?”

“El...”

She reached up and held his cheeks in her palm.  
“Mike, you love me, right?”

He nodded his head violently.

“And I love you. And trust you more than anyone. If you don’t think that you could tell me things because you think I wouldn’t get it, or something, then help me get it. Is it bad?”

Mike sighed, and pulled El’s wrists down. “El, I know. I love you tons. But trust me, I’m not the person to tell you. If you really want to know, I’ll call someone who can.”

He picked up the house phone, dialing a few numbers. 

“Hello?”

“Hey, Nancy. You busy?”


	7. aftermath pt.1 : here we go again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> billy and will join the scoops troop for a high risk mission. nancy questions a shaken max

Billy licked his ice cream cone again, before handing it to Steve, behind the counter. “More strawberry, Popeye.”

Steve sighed and turned to scoop more pink ice cream onto the cone, wrapping it in a napkin and handing back. Billy was leaning on the other side of the counter, facing away from him and Robin, who was listening to her walkman, sitting in front of the window connecting to the break room. 

“Here, William.” He chuckled, and Billy gave him a death glare.

“Why the hell is it so slow today?” He asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Probably because the whole town is scared of you. The whole bully act can’t be good for your reputation.”

“Want me to leave?”

“God, no, please don’t. I need a break from grown women complaining that the rocky road wasn’t ‘rocky enough’ and I get paid by the hour. This is a good break.”

“I might as well start working here, if Max and Lucas are gonna take forever every time.”

Steve smiled. “Well, then scoops would go outta business. Bet you don’t even know the difference between ‘butter pecan’ and ‘salted caramel’.”

Billy curled his lip as a way to say, that he in fact did not know the difference.

They both looked up when Dustin and Will walked in. Robin glanced over, and jumped off the counter to greet them.

“Hey, gang.” Dustin smiled, and Will waved timidly. Robin slid over the front counter, hugging both of them. 

“Hey, fuckers!” She smirked, resting her arm on Wills head. Dustin highfived Billy, who chuckled, and gave Steve a hug over the counter. “Hey, kids.” He said.

“Hello, mother.” Dustin teased, and Billy grinned into his ice cream.

Will sat on one of the tables in a booth close to the front desk, and Steve reached to hand a him cup of cheesecake ice cream. “Your favorite, kiddo.”

Dustin walked behind the counter and went through a mini fridge underneath the cookie display. He pulled out two root beers, and threw one to Robin, who caught it without looking. She cracked it open and stood next to Billy, sipping.

Steve rested his cheeks on his hands, elbows resting on the glass over the tubs of ice cream. “So, what’re you two doing here? Or, actually, Dustin usually comes to bug me everyday, so what’re you doing here, Will?” 

“Mike and El are at his house, Lucas and Max are on a movie date, Jonathan and Nancy are working at the station... so here I am.” He scratched his knee, and licked off a drip on the side of one of his fingers. 

Dustin popped up from underneath the counter. “And i’ve been wanting to go see ‘Adventures in Babysitting’ so I forced him to come with me, but it’s sold out until 9pm.”

Billy checked the time on his watch. “You got five hours to kill.”

“Yeah that’s why we wanted to come say hi to our parents.” Will sipped the remaining sludge from his cup.

“Aw, we’re their parents.” Robin said as she grabbed the ice cream cone from Billy’s hand, and gave it a lick. He was unfazed.

Static echoed from Dustin’s walkie talkie that was secured to his belt, he pulled the antennae, and a voice cut in. “—-Does anyone copy? This is Jonathan.—-”

Everyone looked at each other, then back down to the walkie. Dustin picked it up, and held it between him and Will. “Jonathan? Why are you on this line? Over.”

“—-I’m back at my place because Nancy left work early. I’m on Will’s walkie. Are you with him?—-“

“Yeah, I’m here. We’re with the Scoops Troop. Why?”

Steve raised an eyebrow, and Billy picked at his nails.

“—-Turn up the volume, I got some info from Nancy. There’s not gonna be a trial, because there’s no point. We got too many witnesses for there to be a fighting chance that they wouldn’t be locked up.—-”

“That’s good, at least. There shouldn’t be one anyways, we literally have a police witness.” Robin said, as Dustin held down the ‘talk’ button.

“—-This towns too small to have its own court system. Nothing big happens here, so Mayor Kline would have to work an appointment with one of the court houses a town over, around where the college is.—-“

“I guess that makes sense.” Steve muttered to Billy, who nodded.

“—-Well, even if we didn’t have all of our witness accounts, Hopper isn’t considered ‘reliable’ as probable cause. He beat up Kline too many times.—-“

Dustin nodded casually in agreement.

“—-But there won’t be a trial, because us and Murray were present. A punishment is gonna be ruled out only after me and Nancy gather evidence and make an outline of the story. The only downside is that Hop was forced to release them, because we, again, don’t have a jail. Since we aren’t using the other court house, we aren’t keeping them in their prison.—-“

“Okay, that’s bullshit, but continue.” Will ran a hand through his hair.

“—That means that they’re not only free, but since then, the college suspended them. That means that they’re gonna be in the frat house the entire time. —-”

Robin grabbed the walkie and held down the button. “Wait, so how are you going to investigate? They’re gonna be there the whole time, and what you need to look at is the house.”

“—-Exactly. And the cutoff is three weeks after the incident, right? So if Nancy and I don’t make any moves by Tuesday, three days, the case gets dropped and those guys are free to finish school. No outline, no evidence, nothing yet. We won’t get any revenge for the girls.—“

Billy sighed, and leant over to Robin. She held down the button again.

“Byers, this is Billy. I’ve gotta go give Lucas and Max my keys, so come to the mall in five. Now.”

———

“So El, recap. The important stuff.” 

“Okay. Sex is a private thing. With two people, and you should only have sex with someone you love. You need... protection? And each other’s permission- or... consent. You need consent, or it’s considered rape. Some people rape other people, and hurt them bad.”

Nancy looked at her. “...Wow, you summarized that really well. Mike! Get back in here.”

Mike opened the door above the basement stairs. Max and Lucas were behind him, whispering.

They all walked down the stairs timidly, as Mike had told them that Nancy was giving El sex-ed.

“They just took Billy’s car, they’re hanging out here for a while.” Mike said.

“Oh, good. Max, if it’s alright with you, I need to ask you a few questions.” Nancy smiled.

Max started sweating. “Uh, yeah. Yeah, alright.” She followed Nancy upstairs, who carried a notepad and a pen.

Lucas and Mike looked at each other, and sat next to each other on the sofa. El was laying sideways, intently watching the movie they put on the vhs player.

“What’s that about?” Lucas pointed up.

Mike shrugged. “Well, you know how Nancy and Jonathan are investigating the whole... thing? I guess she’s asking Max questions.”

“Shit. She’s not ready, yet.”

“What do you mean, not ready?”

“Dude, she hasn’t gotten over it. She refuses to talk to me about it. When I asked her, she started crying.”

Mike exhaled. He scratched the back of his head, looking over at El. 

“Does El remember anything? We know that she wasn’t awake when we got her, but we don’t know when they knocked her out. And that Max was.

“No. Think Nance already figured that out. Maybe that’s why she’s questioning her.”

Dustins voice came through the walkie talkie underneath the fort in the corner. “—-Mike? do you copy? I repeat, Mike, do you copy? Over.—-”

Lucas scrambled for it, and answered. “Dustin? Mike and I are together. What’s up? Over.”

“—-Dude, I have news. Isn’t Nancy there?—-“

“Uh... Yeah. She’s upstairs with Max. Why?”

“—-She and Jonathan have been dealing with investigation shit, right? And a bunch of shit happened, and blah blah blah, and now we have until Tuesday to find out the whole story to present to Mayor Kline and collect evidence from the house. But they can’t because they’re gonna be in the house, and if we don’t get evidence and the story then they drop the case and no one goes to jail.—-“

“Well, Nancy is up there questioning Max.”

“—-Jonathan’s here, he and the guys say that Max was drugged after El and woke up before her.—-“

“Makes sense, El had three pricks in her neck. Max had one.”

“—-Right. And right now we’re making a plan to get the druggies out of the house or keep them out if they leave. Y’alls job is to get the story, somehow.—-“

“Won’t take very long. Max’s telling her everything she knows, right now. Shouldn’t be too complicated to piece together what she wasn’t conscious for..”

“—-Didn’t think so. Get that done and send it over to Hop. He can pass it to Kline. But while you guys get that sorted, Will and I are going on a mission with the three musketeers. And Jonathan.—-“

“Alright. We make the timeline, you guys break into the frat house and get evidence.”

“—-Exactly. Talk to you guys later, over.—-“

Static. Mike pushed down the antennae, leaning back and letting out a frustrated sigh.

“Dude, if Max doesn’t break, we have to tell her.” 

“Tell her what?”

“That she needs to tell us everything. It’s kind of up to her.”

“No. We’re not putting that much pressure on her, not now.”

“Lucas, didn’t you just hear Dustin? It’s the only way to have the guys arrested.”

“No. We cannot tell Max, not now. After everything she’s been through, j-just... come one man, please. No.”

“...Fine. We’re just gonna have to trust that Nancy gets enough info to make some connections.”

“Thanks. And it’s kind of unfair that Will and Dustin get to do the exciting stuff.”

“It’s alright, we need to be good boyfriends.”


End file.
